Est. 2016

7 things to do when the power goes out

Hurricane Irma left more than a quarter of Florida’s population without power, and though many have gotten power back by now, there are still millions left in the dark as of Sept. 8, Eric Silagy, the chief executive of Florida Power & Light, said.

In addition, power restoration will take weeks in some areas, he said.

So in case it gets a little boring sitting home alone in the dark without air conditioning, here are seven things you can still do without power:

1. Go to Disney World

The happiest place on earth is sure to make you forget that your apartment feels like a sauna. For the fifth time in history, Hurricane Irma forced Disney to fully close Sept. 10 and Sept. 11, according to a Sept. 8 tweet.

Just two days later, Disney World welcomed guests back with no major damage to the park. Additionally, attendance was very low that week. Jamie Velez, a senior game design and animation major at UCF, spent every day at Disney World after the storm to avoid being bored at home.

Many students from out of town fled to their hometowns to avoid the storm and be with family. A lot of them ended up staying there longer than expected due to traffic, canceled flights and power outages.

“I know the [Pointe at Central] is without power which means I’m stuck staying at my parents’ house in Virginia,” UCF student Kyra von Christierson said.

Without power and with UCF being closed for more than a week, it’s the perfect time to book a ticket back home and enjoy some of mom’s cooking. Your parents will definitely appreciate the quality time with you.

3. Catch up on school work

This one’s for all the procrastinators.

UCF announced Tuesday that all classes will be canceled until Sept. 18. Take this time away from social media and binge-watching TV shows to catch up on upcoming assignments. Emily Harlow, a junior psychology major at UCF, was able to get a lot of reading done by candlelight during this power outage (Unfortunately, you’re not an owl, so I don’t recommend reading in the dark).

Plus, it’s easier to concentrate on homework when Netflix is no longer an option. Let’s homework and chill.

4. Enjoy the peace

You don’t realize how noisy your life is until you’re sitting alone in a dark room with no connection to the outside world.

We’ve become accustomed to always being inches away from our technological devices. A power outage gives you the ability to step away and just enjoy the silence.

“I hope my power never comes back on for my sanity’s sake,” CJ Busch, a junior criminal justice major, said.

5. Throw a block party!

Are you even a Floridian if you’ve never thrown a hurricane party? Instead of suffering through this power outage alone, invite the neighbors over for a few drinks. It beats solo drinking through all those 12-packs you stocked up on before the hurricane. You and your neighbor can power through this together.

Don’t make me say that you need to be at least 21 years old. It should be obvious. I’m looking at you, freshmen.

6. Get creative with food

You’ve probably eaten through most of your hurricane snacks and have no idea what to come up with next. This is when watching all those episodes of Top Chef come in handy. Open up your pantry and get creative!

There are websites like Supercook and MyFridgeFood that can help you. All you have to do is type in the ingredients you have at home and it will come up with recipes based on those ingredients.

Of course, since you don’t have power you will need a grill or stick to cold dishes.

If you don’t have Wi-Fi to look up recipes, just hope that whatever you put together is at least edible. You’d be surprised at what you come up with.

Bon Appétit!

7. DIY projects

Paint a picture, decorate your home for Halloween or make your own costume. Pinterest has tons of ideas for easy projects that even the least artsy of us can manage not to mess up.

It’s a fun way to pass the time, plus you’ll end up with tons of cool stuff to decorate your home with.

Hurricane Irma may seem long gone but hurricane season isn’t.

The season officially ends on Nov. 1 and is usually accompanied by a large sigh of relief, but until then, memorize this list to avoid being bored during the next power outage.